Spider-man 2: The Quest for answers!
by Ghetto Pig
Summary: CHAPTER 7 IS UP!!! Theme: Was everything Peter had been told a lie? Did Uncle Ben die before he could tell Peter the truth? Peter struggles to find his past! As Sarah avenges her father's death! Will she live long enough to find out? Read to find out :P
1. Prologue

_"A year ago, if you'd asked me what'd be like to have your life turned upside down, from being an average ordinary guy to someone special, someone with great powers and great responsibilities, I would have laughed at you.  
  
'Now, I'm living it…  
  
'I still remember that day, the school field trip to the __Columbia__ Genetic Research Institue. That was when it all began. I was bitten, by a genetically engineered spider and thus, my alter ego, Spider-man the infamous superhero who is both loved and despised by the people of New York, was born.  
  
'As you would have guessed, I had never once thought of how this would change my life…forever. The death of my dear and beloved Uncle Ben, which was partly my fault, had left me with grief and guilt. I still can't help but think about what I had said to him the last time. He was trying to tell me something important, and I threw it right back at him. And that car-jacker…if only I had known what I do now…if only…  
  
'I'd finally realized the importance of his last words, 'with great power comes great responsibility'. I was given these powers for a reason. A very special reason.  
  
'I'll never fail you again uncle Ben. You'd always believed in me. I will never let any harm comes to the ones I love again. Ever…  
  
'This is my story. My life. Who am I? I am Spider-man."_


	2. Chapter 01 - The Journey Begins

Warren had just closed the front door to his shop when he spotted two shadows emerging from across the street. Not to his surprise, one of them seemed to have spotted him right away and whispered something to the other.  
  
_"This looks suspicious!" he thought as he secured his shop with a second lock that normally he wouldn't use, __"maybe I should call the cops! They'll know what to do!"  
  
Suddenly, something, a voice, at the back of his head was telling him that he was in danger. Warren spun around, just fast enough to see a dart flying right at him. Then the whole world seemed to swirl around him. Then darkness came.  
  
Warren opened his eyes to find himself inside some kind of torture room. There were chains all over the place; and to his right, he saw two swords, the thin and shiny blades indicated that they were either sharp or completely useless.  
  
Just then, a man appeared in front of him (out of nowhere). Warren felt fear rising up within him, but as a habit, he took a good look at the guy ('just in case I manage to get out of here alive'). The man seemed to be in his forties. Yet, strange as it might be, most of his hair was already white. Besides that, there were two scars on his face; one above his left eyebrow and the other was across his right cheek. Warren would have continued to stare if he hadn't been interrupted. He felt a cold pointy metal object (possibly a VERY sharp knife) touched the back of his neck. Warren jumped a little, as he had no idea where or when the other man had appeared.  
  
"Now, will you talk?" the first men (in his mind, Warren appointed him Agent #1, and the other, agent #2)  
  
"What do you want from me?" Warren suddenly felt confident, knowing that they wanted something from him, and they wouldn't kill him, no, they wouldn't kill him yet, "What could you possibly want from a pawn shop owner?"  
  
"Huh!" the first man sneered at him and grunted, "a pawn shop owner!"  
  
"You mean the infamous ex hit man, who disappeared nineteen years ago," agent #2 glared at him and said, sending a chill down his spine, "along with a suitcase containing twenty billion dollars and the boss' pregnant daughter!"  
  
"Now tell me!" the first man interrupted, "Where is it?"  
  
"I still don't know what you're talking about!" Warren cried out in panic (or it seemed), "if I had that much money, I wouldn't have had to open this small shop. Imagine what I'd do with that kind of money. Please let me…"  
  
"Yes!" agent #2 said coolly, "and that was our biggest mistake!"  
  
"You were always ranting on about how you'd live large with that sort of money…" he paused and Warren again felt the cool chill down his spine, "and that was why you were never found for nineteen years."  
  
Knowing that lying wouldn't do him any good, Warren sighed as he accepted the fate that life had brought him. That here he was, un-armed and tied down like a pig, surrounded by two cold-hearted men who couldn't give a damn as to how he was freezing in here.  
  
"How did you find me then?"  
  
"That, is none of your concern? Now tell me where it is and I'll let your daughter lives!" the man snickered, "Sarah right? She seems to be a very nice girl. She didn't even object when I told her that I was there to kidnap her!"  
  
At the mention of Sarah, his dear daughter, Warren shivered in fear. Cold sweats ran down his face, as he knew that no matter what he did, she'd still be in danger. Men like these (__'heh, men like these...' Warren chuckled dryly as he remembered that he too was once like them).  
  
"Please, don't harm her, please I beg of you!" Warren panicked.  
  
"If only you co-operate!" the other man gave him a nasty smile that resembled a snake before eating its prey.  
  
"I've given most of the money to charity already," and that was the truth, nineteen years ago, over thirty orphanage had woke up to find a big bag full of cash on their front door, "now please let her go!"  
  
"Not the money YOU FOOL!" agent #1 snapped and smacked him hard with the back of his hand, "the suitcase! And the beta chemical…"  
  
"Shut up, Howard!" the second man shouted as an indication that agent #1, Howard, had revealed something he shouldn't have, "Where did you put it old fool?"  
  
"I don't know where it is, I'd never suspected anything besides the money in the suitcase," and that was also the truth, Warren had no idea where he had put the suitcase, maybe he'd given it to someone long ago, or maybe… __"GOD! I wish I did! At least I'd have a shot at saving Sarah!"  
  
"This is going nowhere!" the first man seemed to be irritated with all these questioning. He reached to his belt, pulled out a gun and pointed at Warren's head, "You have fifteen seconds to decide whether your life or the suitcase is more important to you!"  
  
"No," the second man, now clearly seemed to be in charge, waved the gun to be put away. He himself pulled out his cell-phone and flashed that nasty smile at Warren again, "use that fifteen seconds wisely, your daughter's life is on the line!"  
  
If he'd only been scared earlier, now Warren was terrified. Sarah's life was in anyway in danger, he knew that, but what could he do?  
  
"Ok! Ok! I'll tell you where it is," Warren blurted out a lie to get some time to think, "Let my daughter go first!"  
  
"You're lying," malice showed in both of the men's eyes but the first man angrily took out his gun, again, and pulled the trigger.  
  
In that one instant before the impact, Warren's whole life flashed in front of him  
  
...There she was, Emily, his wife, as beautiful as ever…  
  
...The runaway, how it was so romantic back then, the thought of a happy family forever…  
  
...And his first child...  
  
__"Sorry son, but I'm doing what's best for you!"  
  
"Or maybe…I just did what was best for me!" the last thought ran through his mind as tears ran down his cheeks, "Forgive me…Peter…"  
  
**"BAM!!"  
  
Warren thought no more.  
  
"Why did you do that for you son of a…"  
  
The door slammed open. A feminine figure appeared. Her eyes were filled with rage; yet her face as emotionless as a statue. She raised her arms and yelled at the two men.  
  
****"YOU ARE DEAD!"  
  
Cold winds rushed into the room. Not only they were icy cold, they were sharp as a blade.  
  
The girl seemed to sag down as the two figures broke onto the floor in four pieces. She had cried hard after that, holding her father in arms. She had also vowed to take revenge on the person who was behind all this. For she was Sara Parker.**_


	3. Chapter 02 - New beginnings

_Mom and Dad,_

_It's been a few days since the death of Mr. Osbourn...I guess I'll never get used to calling someone who once was my friend a murderer. It was especially hard for me NOT to tell Harry the truth. I mean, he deserved it. And well, I also don't want him to wrongly accuse 'Spider-man' of killing his father. But well, after all that he'd been through, it might not have the effect I want. So...he'll wait._

_Anyway, M.J called me last night, said she wanted to talk to me about something. I think she's beginning to suspect (perhaps already knew) that I am Spider-man. All I can say is, WOW, never knew two kisses spell disaster. She asked me to meet here tonight. But well, you see, I had some business involving two guns and a bad cop tonight, so basically I missed it. Maybe that'll cool her off for a while. Until I think up of a good alibi. _

_I'm starting to wonder whether not telling M.J. the whole truth was the best choice. I mean, sooner or later she'll find out. THEN what do I tell her? 'Sorry I was too busy fighting crime and lying to you that I forgot to mention I'm spider-man?' It just doesn't seem right I guess. Well, we'll wait and see. Talk to you guys later. If you see Uncle Ben, tell him I said hi._

Peter closed his diary and shoved it quickly under the bed as he heard someone approaching.

"Peter?" He recognized the voice that belonged to Harry, his best and possibly his only friend right now, "May I come in? There's something I need to discuss with you!"

"Yeah, sure Harry! The door's unlocked!" Peter replied as he shut the window closed using his web.

"Well," Harry looked a bit disturbed as he sat down on the bed, "This is gonna be hard for me to ask but..."

He paused a bit, "You know that I'm now officially the owner of Oscorp right?"

"Yes," Peter said as he kept a sad joke to himself, _"Thanks to me!"_

"I'm required to move back into the company's mansion, you know, my father's place!"

"Oh, I see what you're trying to say," Peter realized what this was all about, "Don't worry about me, I've already checked AND found a place to move in already. I could go as soon as tomorrow."

"Peter, I feel bad about all this," Harry sounded sincere and Peter knew he was, "All these troubles just because of me!"

"It's okay, Harry! But what are you planning to do now? Are you planning to transfer to another university? or..."

"I'm quitting!" Harry let out a sigh, "I guess college wasn't meant for me!"

"I don't think you should, you've worked so hard and now you want to quit?"

A moment of silent fell between them. Peter felt he should have said something comforting but it was hard to tell lies, especially to his best friend.

"Well, no matter what decision you make, I'll always support you Harry," he stopped a bit to clear his throat, "But do think about it! This is your future Harry!"

As he sat there, looking at him, Peter couldn't help but drifted back to that day at the cemetery. Those hateful words from Harry were still haunting him, _"I swear on my father's grave but Spider-man will pay!" Again, Peter wanted to tell Harry everything. But he managed to hold back._

Harry stood up and walked towards the door. He stopped in front of Peter and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Take care Pete, you're the only family I have left!"

Peter didn't reply. He was afraid that he would blurt out the truth. He also didn't know what to say. So Peter just nodded.

As Harry shut the door behind him, Peter took out his diary again and scribbled in the last few words.

_Mom, Dad,_

_One more thing. I'm officially homeless._

With that, Peter crashed onto his bed without changing his clothes and went to sleep right away.


	4. Chapter 03 - Who Are You?

"Hold on a minute!" A voice - _the voice - called out from somewhere upstairs as Peter knocked on the door.****_

He'd been standing there for a while, conjuring up the courage to knocked on Mary Jane's apartment door. Still twice he had turned around and walked away but only the fact that he did NOT have anywhere to go had kept him here.

He stopped fidgeting and looked up as he heard the front door opened.

And there she was, standing there, her watery eyes twinkling at him, her hair smoothly flowing in the air (_"Ok so maybe that's a bit over-the-top, but still!"). Just being here, looking at her was enough to satisfy him._

"Peter!" she sounded surprised, "I thought you've forgotten about me already!"

"Sorry about last night M.J! I was really busy and all and somehow..." Peter knew what she was angry about so he start reading his mental alibi, until she surprised him!

"Forget it! I know where you were last night!" she said as she opened the door to let him in, "Well are you gonna stand there all day or what?"

As he walked into the apartment, Peter noticed how comfy it looked. Despite the rather small size, it felt...like home. Everything seemed to fit together, unlike his own, which looked like 12 people were living together. Peter chuckled at his next thought when Mary Jane pointed him to the sofa and sat down on it herself.

"So," she looked right into his eyes and asked him, "aren't you gonna ask me how I knew where you were last night?"

Before he could start, she continued, "Did you hurt yourself last night?"

"No! I'm too good for..." that was when it hit him, (_"right in the face") he was Spider-man last night, and the night before that and probably all the nights before too. So how could she have known...unless...__"Has she known from the incident on the bridge? Or was it...the kiss...That's impossible!"_

"I mean, I was at home all night working on my paper! How could I have hurt myself?" He chuckled nervously and looked at her.

Again, she surprised him by saying nothing. Her eyes were saying nothing and everything. It was like she was staring into him, to the deepest place of his soul. And a few months ago, Peter would have died to let her do that. But now, he was something else. Peter shifted uneasily on the sofa.

"Do you have something to tell me Peter?" she asked him gently and waited for an answer.

"Uh..no, what makes you think I do?" again, Peter struggled within himself, between his feelings and common sense. Telling the truth would certainly prove how much he loved her and why he could never accept her love, publicly that is. But it'd also lead to a lot of questions that he wouldn't want to answer. Yet, maybe she'd still love him no matter who he was, what he did. Perhaps...

_"NO! I cannot do this to her. I cannot put the ones I most treasure in situations like that...not again. NEVER!" How he had wanted to kiss her, and brush her hair with his hands, and tell her how much he loved her. But if there were anything more painful than losing her love, it would be to lose her forever._

"Actually I do have something to tell her," Peter suddenly remembered the reason  he came here in the first place. He noticed how her eyes brightened up when he had said that. But it probably wasn't what she had expected. (_"Well, here it goes!")_

"Well, you see, Harry's moving out and I have no place to stay," Peter fiddled his toes, an old habit, cleared his throat and mumbled out the rest, "So I..um...I was wondering whether I could stay here..."

"Just for a while!" he quickly added, "until I find a place to move into!"

If Mary Jane hadn't been surprised, now she really was, "Peter, I..."

Looking at the startled and somewhat confused expression on her face, Peter wondered whether this was a good idea or not. (_"It was worth a try!" he thought.)_

"Well, uh, you are the only one I really know here so it was just a thought. But it's ok if you're uncomfortable with the whole thing. I guess I should..."

"Peter..." Mary Jane interrupted him with one of her flashy smile, "you're welcome to stay anytime."

"If you don't mind living in a dump that is," she added with a laugh.

_"That went well, thanks Mom and Dad for being here with me all along," Peter sent out a thought, __"Now if you don't mind!"_

**************************************

MJ looked at the closing door as Peter walked out. More than once she had been surprised today, but something was still bothering her.

_"Why Peter? Why didn't you tell me? Did you think that I'd do something stupid?" She paused thoughtfully._

_"Well, if you don't tell me, I'll make you reveal it!_

_"For I cannot live without your love. You're the only one who can make me feel more than I'm ever gonna be. The only times when I was truly happy, was the times spent with you Peter. I know how gentle and loving you are, you will not break my heart unless it was for a very special reason._

_"And now I know why. I love you so much Peter Parker!"_

Mary Jane suddenly realized what had been troubling her. And it hurt so much. She tried but couldn't stop the tears from dwelling up. She wept until she was too weak to cry anymore. Then she dozed off.


	5. Chapter 04 - Hero or Menace! (Edited)

Sarah took out a piece of paper from her torn coat's left pocket and checked it again. _"Good, I'm here!"_

She walked toward the nightclub and stopped just feet away from its entrance. Anger, hatred and all of her emotions were now bubbling in her. But Sarah would not and dare not succumb to them as she knew what would happen if she did.

Sarah blanked her mind and focused. She could feel them, tiny molecules of oxygen and nitrogen and whatnot, everything surrounding her, she could feel their rapid movements, as the air around her grew thicker, denser. Sarah began to concentrate on moving them to her own will. She felt the air beneath her expanded and her whole body was rising up. It stopped. She was now floating slightly above the ground. Sarah slightly smiled in satisfaction. But cold thoughts left her in pain as she realized why she was here.

Sarah raised her right arm and 'commanded' the wind to blow up the door. She brushed off the dust from her coat and slowly but steadily flew into the building.

****************************************

It'd only been one day since Peter moved in with Mary Jane. He was in fact VERY lucky since the person who she had been sharing the apartment with had just left not long ago. Peter still couldn't believe that he was now living with Mary Jane, sharing the same apartment. A year ago, he'd have given ANYTHING just for her to smile at him, and now she was LIVING with him. Even if it was just for a few days.

Peter picked up his empty mug and went to make some coffee. That was when his spider sense kicked in. It had never been this powerful before, NEVER! There was like a time bomb, ticking inside his head, just without the sound. Peter dropped his mug and held onto the table as the world swirl around him. He felt as if his head was going to explode just any minute. Then, it was gone, as swiftly as it came.

Peter cautiously looked around the house. But no one was there. He would have sensed them right away if anybody were in the house. Peter tried to shake off the feeling of being endangered but couldn't. It was too strong. Unlike anything he'd ever felt before. But he was not in any clear danger. Nor anybody he loved. There had been no threat of another insane maniac who wants to _'rule over the world' lately. Aunt May was safe. Mary Jane was working. _

_"Harry..._

_"Nah I don't LOVE him!" _

No one he loved was in danger. Or at least no one he KNEW. Yet, it was there, and his -although weird, on and off- Spider-sense had never failed before.

_"Well, there's a first time for everything!" He thought gloomily though he knew that he couldn't just dismiss this. It had to mean something. To him._

****************************************

Sarah really felt sorry for all those 'innocent' assassins who'd just happened to be in her way. She wondered long enough whether they'd known all along that someday, something like this would happen. But who was she to feel sorry for them; when just days ago, her very own father had been murdered by one of them. Any of them would have killed him if ordered.

Sarah finally reached a weirdest looking door she'd ever seen. It was red. But it wasn't the cheap red paint that was sold in any house ware store. It was...

_"Blood..."_

_"How many more innocents until you're satisfied...whoever you are..."?_

_"Let me end your suffering once and for all!"_

Sarah slowly landed on her feet. Then she stirred the air and blew open the door. She flinched as some of the door's remaining flew right past her. It didn't blow up entirely but there was an opening big enough for her to go through. Sarah wrenched her fist and walked into the room.

Sarah barely dodged the two laser guns just as they swept past her. At the same moment, two combats appeared and attacked her.

Sarah snickered, "Are you that low?"

She wasn't troubled by any of these. Her powers weren't new to her. She had discovered them long ago. In fact, it had begun developing ever since she found that old suitcase with the little cute crystal ball in it. She was probably six years old back then. She had broken the ball by accident and spilled the purple stuff all over her hands. Luckily Sarah didn't cut herself by doing so. Now that she thought about it, her powers must have something to do with the chemical. But it was for a good reason. At least she hoped so.

Sarah's thoughts were interrupted as the two lasers and two barking combats were attacking her again. She flew right past them and snapped her fingers. The winds took hold of the two androids and somehow dissolved the laser beams (How? Sarah didn't know herself; she just felt she could do it!)

_Sarah had always been a very good student. In fact, a genius. She believed it was in the genes. Her father was VERY smart, even though his job was as lame as it could get, his brilliance were unmistakable. Therefore she had undoubtedly inherited it from him. Sarah's always been able to grasp the subject quickly. Sarah had been training her 'powers' since she was 10. Something had happened then. Something that had made her regrets ever obtaining these powers. By reading and researching, Sarah had been able to have almost total control over them. Almost. But not enough..._

Sarah materialized the air in front of the paralyzed robots and slowed down the molecules' speed turning it as hard as it could get. Then she slammed the whole thing into the robots, smashing them against the wall as they broke apart.

Sarah waited patiently hoping the boss behind all this would appear and confront her. But her patience ran out before his did or so it seemed. She sighed and walked toward the desk on the far end of the room. There was nothing on it except a strange costume and a copy of a newspaper. 

There, on the front page was a man.

****************************************

As the girl in the torn white dress flew off through the ceiling, a shadow emerged. He – it seemed – leisurely walked toward the desk where she had been standing and looked at the newspaper. The front page was missing along with the red and blue costume that he'd left there earlier.

A devious smile showed on his face as he stepped out into the light.

"Humph! She's good..." he muttered to himself, "but 15 low-rank bodyguards are a small price to pay for Spider-man's head!"

He hated Spider-man. Always meddling with others' business. It was time for payback. Now he only had to stand back and watch his supposed granddaughter and _him battle the little bug. _

The man took out his cell phone and punched in some numbers. He waited patiently as the phone on the other side rang. Finally, after the fourth ring, somebody picked it up.

_"Harry Osborn speaking."_

"It's me," he whispered back as though he was afraid somebody might overhear them and spoil his plan, "The first step is done. She's already out. Hahahah!"

_"Hmm..." Harry paused a bit, __"Did she suspect anything?"_

"Apparently, no!" he chuckled, "After all she's only a not-so-wise 14-year-old. And Spider-man _did kill her   father, in a way!"_

He continued in the same evil-genius tone of voice, "Now it's your turn. Is the suit ready?"

_"Yes, but we're still finding a pilot for it. It's devoured, literally, two human subjects."_

"Well, I don't care how you will do it. Just have the whole thing ready by next week. I don't think that girl is enough to kill Spider-man by herself."

_"If everything goes as plan, by next week, there will be a new 'hero' in town!"_

Even through the phone, he could somehow felt the sneer on Harry's face as he said that.

"Is the Board of Directors giving you any trouble?" he added it as an afterthought.

_"Humph! Even if they were, they wouldn't be stupid enough to oppose me. You know why!"_

"Good. Then Spider-man should be resting in peace in two weeks. Hahaha!"

_"NO!" the voice was so sharp that it made him jumped a bit, "Spider-man will not rest in peace. I will torture him 'til he wishes he were never born. Not only will he not die peacefully, his whole family and every single one he loves won't either."_

The phone clicked.

He felt a cold wind brushed aside him as he heard the last words. He had known this boy since he was little and he still couldn't believe how fast people could change.

He shook his head as though trying to get rid of all the troubling thoughts then left the scene.

****************************************

Sarah had been listening to the whole conversation. She had disguised herself by creating a windshield which somehow had distorted her image, making her 'invisible' to the human eye. She couldn't hold it forever but long enough to hear everything she needed to know.

_"Hmph! Not-so-wise huh?" she thought._

Sarah had soon decided that she needed to kill or at least capture Spider-man first, that way she could rattle out every single soul who was involved. 

_"Then, it will truly be payback! BIG TIME!"_


	6. Chapter 05 - The First Answer!

Peter gracefully landed on top of the nearest building after he had successfully hung those two fools who were trying to rob a hardware store earlier as Spider-man.

He was just planning to crawl home when his spider-sense activated. It was a weird but not unpleasant feeling, like something was warning him even before the danger appeared. This time it was no different then the others.

Peter quickly shot his web and swung away. He had to keep moving, just in case something was trying to aim at him.

_"Someone or something is here..."_

He knew it was true. He could sense a strange presence close to him, but couldn't determine where it the strange scent was coming from. It seemed to be spread all around him. Or maybe the truth is.

_"Whatever it is, it's too fast!"_

Peter looked around him and found the tallest building around. He quickly uses his web-zipping ability and ascended to the top of the building. Peter crouched there, focusing on finding where that thing which had been forewarned was. But despite his efforts, it was nowhere to be found.

Peter finally gave up since his spider-sense no longer tingled as much as it had been. Just as he raises his right arm to aim the web, Peter saw, from the corner of his eye, something was there. It had been hiding in a dark alley, out of his eye range. It wasn't what he had been looking for, but it was there.

Peter quickly jumped down from the top of the building and as he was close to the ground, he shot a stream of spider-web at the wall and in a blink of an eye, he was right over it.

***********************************

Harry sagged down onto his chair and sighed. He held his face in his hands and tries easing himself. He had never been more troubled or tired before. But with all that'd just happened today, how could he not be.

He looked up at the phone, hesitated, picked it up, changed his mind, put it down, laid back, changed his mind again, picked the phone up and punched in the numbers.

Just as Harry was gonna slam the phone back into place, somebody picked up on the other side. Before that person could say anything, Harry spoke in an irritated way.

"Don't say anything. Just shut up and listen to what I have to say!"

He waited a while and when it was confirmed that the other line wouldn't say anything 'til he finished, Harry continued, this time he spoke in a clear and slower voice.

"It's been stolen. Yes! The bloody suit has been pilfered. Just this morning. I've had the security doubled, nobody will be able to enter or leave the building 'til I say so."

He paused for a moment as though to be deep in thought then continued, "It was stolen just minutes after I finished the inspection for the day. So it shouldn't have gotten far, yet!"

Harry didn't know how very wrong he was. The suit, by that time had been far away from the lab. And also by that time, it had chosen a master, someone it would serve, until _then._

"I need your help now! Get your men over here and guard the whole building for me! NOW!"

With that, he hung up the phone and drop back into his chair.

_"The one to kill Spider-man will be me!" he muttered._

***********************************

Peter let out a muffled cry as he fought back with all of his spider-strength. He knew he had managed to dodge just as that thing had come slamming at him. But somehow, here he was stuck with it. Its 'tentacles' were grabbing him tightly, squeezing the air out of him. He tried to fight back but the more he did, the tighter it became. 

_"Is this the end of me? The end of Spider-man and Peter Parker?"_

Peter suddenly realized this could very well be the end of...everything. He would die, just like that. And never again would he be able to see Aunt May or MJ's face again. That was when the strength to survive and the strength of rage came to him. It was the same when the Green Goblin had tried to kill him. But he had made one big mistake. The green Goblin shouldn't have taunted Peter, nor did he have to say all those bad things about MJ. He had paid dearly with his life.

Peter grabbed a nearby object with his web and pulled it hard towards himself. As it got closer to him, Peter shot another thread of web and this time with more strength. The empty glass bottle broke into smaller pieces and sharp enough so Peter could grab one and stab the thing that was now trying to swallow him alive.

Peter let out a sigh of relief as the octopus thing that was on him loosened its grip. He was about to get the thing off of him when pain shot through him. It was like he was being turned inside out. Peter gasped and collapsed when the pain had proved to be even more than Spider-man could handle.

***********************************

Harry wasn't feeling too well. It'd been a while now and he still couldn't dig up any information as to where _it might be._

He constantly rubbed his head but it did no good. Harry suddenly remembered what his father, Norman Osborn, had always taught him to do, _"If you see me in pain, you MUST get those pills from the third right drawer of my desk!"_

He wondered what had happened to those pills, whether the servants had threw them out or were they still here.

Harry quickly pulled open the specific drawer and to his surprise, there were not one but a LOT of bottles filled with those pills. He picked up one and tried to read the label. But, there was nothing on the label. Just some chemical formula that he had no idea what they meant. He was never good at Chemistry. This was Peter's specialty. He wished Peter was here to help him deal with this, somehow.

Harry opened the bottle and took out a few of those pills. He shrugged as he swallowed those pills dryly. 

_"I need water!" he thought as he began to stand up to walk to the mini-bar. Only then did he realize that there was something beneath those bottles. Harry sat down on his chair again and lifted them out. _

There seemed to be a pack of papers there. Harry pulled them out and quickly checked them. 

As he laid eyes onto the first page, Harry gasped and dropped the papers.

On the front page, there were diagrams of a weird round object. It was exactly the same as the devices that the Green Goblin had used on the balcony.

Harry trembled as realization came to him.

_"Father...father was...the Green Goblin!"_


	7. Chapter 06 - Choices Part 01

Peter woke up with a bleeding headache. He tried to stand up but got tired after trying a while so he lumped back onto the bed.

Finally, after lying there and staring at the ceiling for at least a few hours, Peter sat up and leaned on the wall. He looked to his right and saw a note on the table. Peter picked up and the note and a smile spread on his face as he read it.

_"It's from MJ," he thought happily, __"This sickness sure paid off!_

_"Let's see what she wrote._

_"Peter, I would have stayed home with you if I could. But I have to attend a reading for a role. You understand. Sorry, I'll make it up to you when I get back ^^. Love, MJ!"_

Peter held the note close to his heart as he drifted off into his own little dream world. 

_"Love...That means she still loves me, even after what I had said to her._

_"But why MJ, why do you trouble yourself?"_

Somehow, despite all these, Peter still felt relief. Of what, he did not know.

Peter neatly folded the note and put it in his drawer. Then his eyes fell onto the open diary. Now he remembered, he was writing in it last night (afraid that he might forget everything in the morning, which did happen) and fell asleep while doing so. Peter quickly disregarded a disturbing thought that MJ had read some of it. If she did, then she would've known everything. But then again, MJ is not a nosy person...not when it's _none of her business._

Peter grabbed a pen, and started to finish the entry when he realized that he had no idea what he had been thinking the last night. Peter decided he'd read the whole thing again and try to get a feel of what had been going through his mind then.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_The weirdest thing happened to me tonight. I was swinging around minding my own business ^^ when something crazy attacked me. IT ATTACKED ME!!! I mean, it's been awhile since that had happened. Not since that crazy old fart Green Goblin had I ever been ambushed before. And the strange thing is, just when I had though that my life was over, I lived! I'm thankful for it, but WHY?_

_I wasn't even injured last night, if you don't count the marks caused by those tentacles or whatever they were injuries. But I feel different...it's like there's something inside of me. My heart's telling me something's wrong but my Spider-sense isn't sensing it, which is definitely weird._

_But, other than that I'm fine. I hope it's just a nightmare that'll pass away as suddenly as it came._

That was where he had left off. Peter bitted on the end of the pen as he struggled to find what he was gonna write before he dozed off. Peter finally gave up in the end and just wrote,

_It feels nice talking to my familiars. Bye._

Even though it was just spinning some web, Peter felt so tired after he secured his diary onto the floor beneath his bed. So he just laid back. 

_"What was that thing?_

_"Was it a trap? Or just a threat telling me not to mind their business (whoever they might be)?_

_"Well either way, it's succeeded so far. I'm feeling like crap right now. _

_"Sorry __New York__, you gotta mind your own business today!"_

The phone rang the same instant he finished his thoughts. Peter yawned and stretched his hand out to reach the phone and answered it after some serious coughing.

"Hello. Peter's speaking."

Nobody answered it, right away. After a few seconds, (Peter wasn't planning on repeating himself, not while he's sick.)

_"Are you ok Pete? You sound different!"_

"Yeah I'm fine actually. It's nothing serious," Peter instantly recognized the voice as Harry's, "So is everything ok with you Harry?"

_"Yeah, everything's just fine." Peter thought he sounded a bit constrained,__ "Well, I was planning on calling MJ but since you answered it, I have a favor to ask of you."_

"Try me!" 

_"It'd better not be 'Peter, kill Spider-man for me!'" Peter snorted at his own joke, and luckily it probably sounded like a cough to Harry through the phone._

_"Are you sure you're ok?" Harry sounded concerned, "Well anyway, I want you to set up a meeting with Spider-man for me Peter!"_

Peter was speechless. He had never expected Harry to say those words. Not while his secret identity was still...secret.

"Why...What makes you think I can do that?" he asked Harry, carefully choosing each word, afraid he might reveal himself somehow.

_"Well, I do __read the Daily Bugle Peter; I know you're probably the only one who Spider-man trusts. I'm not forcing you to do anything against your will. I just want to talk to him."_

"But you said that he killed your father. Even knowing how much pain you're in, I can't let you destroy New York's only hope Harry...not yet!"

Harry snorted, _"I promise you Pete. I just want to talk to him, for now."_

"I'll see what I can do for you, but I never promised you to have it done Harry!"

_"Thanks. And when MJ gets home tell her..." Harry paused._

An uneasy silence fell between him and Peter. They both loved MJ. And they both had stolen MJ from each other once. Therefore, it was usual for them not to talk about her.

_"Forget it," Harry continued__, "Just remember what I had asked you Pete. Talk to you later."_

With that Harry hung up the phone. Peter sighed and hung up his end too. His head was still aching, with his mind swirling around even he couldn't think straight.

_"Well, you asked for a meeting Harry? You got one!"_

******************************************

Harry hung up the phone wondering if he'd made the right decision. Harry knew what he had to do now, and what it would cost him. But he did not have many choices available.

He wished that he still had that suit, the one that his father had been working on before he was killed, by Spider-man, as the Green Goblin. Harry still couldn't understand why his father had taken that road, to become a murderer. He had almost killed Harry and MJ that day at the festival.

_"What was he thinking? What'd made him undergo that change?"_

All these questions would never be answered. Not when the only one who can answer them was dead.

Harry had recently found out that his father had a pet project. He, Norman Osborn, was creating what's possibly the greatest creation ever. He was working on an organic suit that seemed to have a mind of its own. Only after thorough researches, Harry had found out that his father had somehow got hold of a sample DNA taken from an alien (where? He did not know! How? He did not know either!) and had used it along with Spider-man's own DNA to create this suit.

This suit was to be the ultimate creation. It would grant the wearer inhuman strength and other abilities. It had been Harry's only hope of defeating Spider-man. But it was gone now. Stolen from him just like his father.

Harry wanted to kill Spider-man himself. Now that the suit was lost, he still didn't want to leave Spider-man to that girl, Sarah was her name. He still desired the satisfaction of avenging his father's death. Now more than ever, he wanted to prove that he was living up to his father's expectation. This was what his father would have wanted him to do. Vengeance would taste so sweet for the first time.

******************************************

Sarah paid the man for the hotdog with what she had left. She had tried to get back into his house to get some money but she was too smart to have done that. That was why Sarah had been lingering around the city for the past few days, feeding out of the kindness of other people or with the little money she had left.

She had seen him, Spider-man. She had been there, watching him, preying on him like a vulture. She had wanted to find out for herself what kind of person he was, and she had succeeded. He was a hero, that's what he was. Not a hero straight out from a comic book. He was a real life hero. He had had to make several choices that night that you would not see a comic hero doing often.

_"But if what that fat guy said was true, he killed my father."_

This was a tough decision for Sarah. Would she be satisfied by killing her father's murderer and at the same time let other innocents die? She had never been taught how to deal with these situations. The choice was hers to make, but it'd affect other people's lives if she made the wrong one.

Sarah cleared her mind of the troubling thought and focused on what she'd seen the night before. She still couldn't believe that it had happened before her very eyes. But the fact was that it had happened. She had been watching Spider-man up to the point where he fainted. Then she had witnessed the impossible. 

For one moment, she had thought that the 'thing' had swallowed Spider-man, but then it wasn't there anymore. It just, disappeared. All she remembered was a blinding light radiated from the thing for just a blink of an eye. Spider-man was perfectly fine.

Back then, Sarah could have killed Spider-man while he was sleeping, but it would just make her what she hated the most. She had let him live and she was confident that she could do that again.

******************************************


	8. Chapter 06 - Choices Part 02

Peter was asleep when the phone rang again. Grumpily, he picked it up and answered with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Peter's speaking!"

_"Peter? You're awake! Great! I was so worried about you last night. Busting back into the house then fainted just like that. I was..."_

"M.J?" Peter asked making sure it was who he thought it'd be.

_"Yeah, well I'm sorry I couldn't stay home with you. But well maybe this piece of news will cheer you up. Guess what!"_

"Uh..." Peter's brain wasn't in the mood for this guessing game but he played along anyway, and gave up when the headache increased in magnitude, "I give up. What?"

_"I nailed it! I got the job!" Peter could almost feel the happy vibe she was sending through the phone; he hoped it wasn't a 2-way transmitter._

Peter's brain seemed to have stopped functioning for a few seconds because he couldn't seem to grasp what she was trying to say. So he didn't say anything.

_"Peter! I got the role for that Broadway show!!!" M.J cried on the other end__, "I can't believe that this moment has come!"_

"Wow!" Peter used his best I-am-happy-for-you voice, which seemed appropriate right now, "You're finally living your dream M.J! I'm really happy for you!"

He added as an afterthought, "Who knows! I might be sent to take some pictures of you soon. I can almost see the headline already, 'Bright Star shines on Broadway!'"

M.J did not answer right away. Peter almost hang up the phone thinking she had ran out of cash or something when she said, in a slightly hurt tone,

_"You know Peter...You're the only one who can make me feel this way..."_

"I'm sorry M.J, I don't have a choice!" Peter said knowing that once again, his wounds were open.

_"The choice is always yours to make Pete!" Mary Jane took a deep breath and said cheerfully__, "Well, we'll have to celebrate my victory tonight! I'll buy some stuff before I go home ok? Have a rest 'til then. Bye!"_

Before he could have said anything else, she hung up. Peter carefully placed the phone down and tried to stand up and walk around a bit.

The doorbell rang.

_"Oh, boy!" Peter thought as he slowly but steadily walked across the room, down the stairs (the doorbell was still ringing). Cross the living room and to the front door. _

As he opened it, the first thing he saw was a face that he'd never wanted to see again, not after his uncle's death. It was Aunt May. He had promised himself never to make Aunt May to worry again, and somehow he had failed.

"Peter!! I'm so glad that you're ok. Mary Jane called me this morning. I was so worried about you that I had to come here as soon as possible. Are you sure you ok?"

Under this intense pressure and questions, all Peter could do was nod.

"Well, come on in aunt May," he said as he opened the door widely to let her through.

As soon as they sat down on the comfy sofa, before he could offer her something to drink, Aunt May said to Peter, "Please don't go out tonight Peter!"

"Why?" Peter was puzzled, "What made you think I'd go out in this condition?"

"Well, I know, I know," she answered, "But it's just...Well forget it. If you're not going out then that's fine."

"If you say so," Peter was even more puzzled, "But well, if you happen to feel like letting me know why before I die, please do so!"

"NOW! None of your bad jokes, young man! You know I'm worried about you!" she seemed a little annoyed.

"Then tell me why you don't want me to go out tonight! I need reasons!"

She didn't answer him. She just sat there, lost in her own thoughts. Peter wasn't planning on interrupting her, she seemed happy somehow.

At last, she returned to reality and said to him, "If you want to know, fine, but don't ask me any question or laugh!" And she was ready to defend herself if he laughed.

"You might think of this as strange but just before that accident," she paused, thinking about what had happened again, and continued, "I had a bad feeling. It wasn't like a premonition or anything. Just a feeling, that something terrible was going to happen. And something did. Too terrible..."

Peter put his arm around her, soothing her while knowing that the pain was still there. It'd never go away.

She looked up and smiled at him; and just for a brief moment, Peter thought he had seen something in her eyes, or maybe it was just a look of recognition. 

Aunt May continued, "And today, before I left the house, I had had the same feeling all over again. It was terrible. I just _know something would happen to the ones I love, and __you Peter, are the only family I have now. I don't want anything to happen to you."_

Peter was speechless; he didn't know what to say to comfort his loving aunt besides, "It's ok! I'll stay home tonight and the night after and all the nights after that if it'll make you feel better."

Peter had no clue that this was another promise he was going to break.

**************************************

"Can't you stay for dinner? MJ is coming back soon!" Peter was worried about Aunt May getting home safely.

"Don't worry dear, I have my escort."

"You do? You sure you're not just making this up so I won't have to worry about you? Cause if you are then I'll..."

"Yes, so don't let this old lady ruin your _romantic dinner for two," she laughed heartily as she walked off the steps and into the night._

Peter stood leaning against the front door and watched until he could see her no more. He turned around and opened the door. He was just thinking about how this night could not get any better, with MJ cooking and all.

It happened then.

Peter ducked down then spun around as fast as he could. He knew something had just flew past him, and if he was any slower, it'd have done him fatal damage. But no one was there. Or at least, no one seemed to be. Peter quickly opened the door trying to run into the house and change into his Spider-man costume. 

It happened again, this time he could see it more clearly, or not. His spider-sense could make out what seemed to be invisible blades coming straight at him. 

_"No, they're made out of thin air!"  The thought ran through his mind._

Peter dodged them again; then using his web he swung toward where what his Spider-sense was telling him to go to. Even though Peter was sick, he was fast; everything was swirling past him. He was there just in time to see a shadow wavered and disappeared.

_"Ok, there's no such thing as ghosts!" Peter reassured himself, __"Now, this seems spooky but those blades weren't just my imagination!"_

Again, his spider-sense told him something was coming his way. Peter shot his web at the light pole and zapped away from where he was standing. Peter was getting both tired and annoyed. He wanted to get this over with so he could spend the rest of the evening with Mary Jane.

Suddenly, he was struck. His chest felt like it'd been hit with a demolisher. He could feel the bones cracking under the pressure. And it didn't stop, it didn't. The pressure continued to increase, but he could see nothing. Except this time, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a girl. Peter saw a very young girl with long hair that flowed in the wind.  She was standing just across the street. It was a wonder he didn't see her before.

Peter turned his head despite the pain to get a better look at her but he could only catch the surprised look on her face before she was gone. 

_"Gone with the wind..."_

Peter suddenly felt light-headed. The pressure had vaporized somehow. He was able to stand up straight. He took a deep breath and let it out. Peter raises his arm to fix hair.

His mouth dropped open. It wasn't his arm. It must be somebody else. What he saw was not what he had expected. _It wasn't his arm. His arm wasn't some black thingy, was it? Peter touched his face with his new arm and he was once again startled. He had somehow changed into his Spider-man suit, but only this time it wasn't __his suit. Making sure nobody else was looking; Peter rushed into the room (__"I don't feel sick anymore! Weird!") and looked into the nearest mirror._

After he'd snapped back up his jaw, Peter just stood there wondering what had just happened to him. He looked at the mirror again and a man in a black version of his Spiderman suit, albeit the spider logo was looking back at him. Peter turned sideways to get a good look at this new 'costume' that he had no idea where it had come from.

_"Hmmm, it looks pretty cool. Besides, it's time I get a new look. Wait 'til Jamieson get a hold of this!" Peter chuckled._

He shrugged, _"Well I should admire myself for being so calm and cool when something weird has obviously taken over my body. And besides, I have more things to worry about for tonight than dealing with this."_

Peter fidgeted with the new 'costume', _"Now if only I can get this thing off me!"_

The front door clicked. Moments later, Mary Jane walked through holding a brown paper bag with both her arms.

At the same time, another disturbing thought that had never occurred to him came.

_"How was I dress when I came home last night!_


	9. Chapter 06 - Choices Part 03

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_Despite the fact that I was almost killed by some weirdo and MJ almost found out about my true identity, today was one of the best days I've ever had. We had a wonderful dinner, I might say romantic if it wasn't for those god damn (if God's there, tell him I'm sorry ^^) phone calls from people. We had, let's see, that thingy that looked like beef and MJ baked some cherry pie (my favorite, wonder if aunt May told her about it. It wasn't much but we really enjoyed ourselves._

_MJ's living her dream now. She's starting out small but I bet she'll work her way up in no time. I think she has her father to thank for that if you know what I mean. While we were eating, I asked her whether she was seeing anyone (I know it was a personal question but I don't know what got into me, it just blurted out); luckily she didn't say anything that'd have ruined the mood. But the way she slightly shook her head made me sad somehow._

_Harry also called regarding you-know-what! You know what I told him so I won't bother telling you again. He didn't ask how MJ was doing; I think he gave up on her. I know it'd bother me if they get back together, and it bothers me that it'd bother me._

_Oh yeah and about my new symbiote (I don't know what else to call it, it's obviously organic and seems to have a mind of its own!). Would you mind telling God the next time you meet him, that if he were to grant me more powers, please make it so that it wasn't too subtle? MJ almost walked in on me wearing that weird black suit. But then again, I was too calm to let anything weird happen, and well, something weird DID happen. I panicked and tried to think of a way to take it off, and it just wasn't there anymore. GONE! POOF! Maybe one day I'll figure out what it really is and its true potential. Let's just hope that it'll happen before I die while trying to use it.._

_Don't know why but I suddenly feel mad tired now. It's like all my life resources are drained. Gonna crash. Talk to you later._

This was the second time Peter had to stop his diary entry short. He could barely feel the pen in his hand anymore. The pen fell from his hand and rolled onto the floor. Peter tried to focus but failed miserably. He gathered the rest of his strength, and there wasn't much left, and shoved the diary under his pillow and surrendered to the weariness.

*************************************

Mary Jane walked into Peter's room and turned off the light. She had been there for a while, wondering whether to talk to him or not, and had unintentionally seen his secret diary. She could still see the brown corners poking out from beneath his head. She knew it wouldn't be right to read it without his consent, but she wanted more proofs, even though she was pretty sure.

She sighed and walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.


	10. Chapter 07 - Friends or foes?

Today was the day Peter promised to meet Harry as Spider-man. He didn't really want to go, but he had made a promise and as Uncle Ben had always said, _"You have to take responsibility for everything you do!"_

Peter had planned to meet Harry at around 10 o'clock on top of the Empire State Building.

_"Nice place to be at this time of night," Peter snorted at the thought of that._

He didn't have a watch on but his biological clock told him that he had more than an hour left. Peter sighed and took off to patrol the neighborhood for the last time.

*****************************************

A look of confident was hanging on Harry's face as he sat patiently, waiting for his arch-nemesis Spider-man to appear. He didn't know how Peter would get the _superhero Spider-man to meet him here but he did not care either._

For the first time in his life, Harry knew of his importance. He was the only Osborn left now. He was the only heir. He was also the President of Oscorp. Industry. That was why he must eliminate all obstacles on his way to success. He would prove his father wrong. That he was not as weak as everybody had thought.

However there were orders to things. First, he must find out Spider-man's real identity. Harry had wished that his father had left him a hint or clue as to who Spider-man really was. But it didn't matter much anymore.

Harry reached into his front pocket and secured a round metal object. A devious smile appeared on his face. It had taken him a while and quite a lot of money to construct this device. With it, uncovering Spider-man's mask would be no problem.

As Harry pulled his hand out of his pocket, he saw a blur of red and blue rushing from afar.

_"Spider-man, today will mark the beginning of the last days of your life!"_

*****************************************

Peter gracefully landed on the ledge of the rooftop. He wasn't planning to go anywhere near Harry Osborn while knowing that his life was at stake. It was strange that his Spider-sense wasn't tingling at all. But the atmosphere was as tense as it could be.

_"Could it be that Harry really doesn't have any evil scheme for Spider-man tonight?" he wondered, __"That all he wants is to talk? Now that's weird!"_

Harry broke the awkward silence between them.

"Spider-man, do you have any idea why I summoned you tonight?" he asked with a smirk.

"First, you didn't summon me, I came here of my own will! Second, no I don't!"

_"Don't play the innocent with me, Spider-man! You know too well the reason you being here!" Peter could see Harry was getting very angry._

_"YOU...killed my father!" Harry shouted at him._

"Self-defense is not murder!" Peter couldn't resist using that line he heard from the trailer of a recent movie.

_"So you admit that you DID in fact kill him!" Every word coming out of Harry's mouth was like a needle poking at Peter's worry-some heart._

Harry continued, "I'm ashamed to have known you!"

Peter was completely shaken with shock. He wasn't expecting this. Harry was not supposed to know who he was, Spider-man, his father's killer even if it was for the sake of more than 8 million people living in the city.

*****************************************

Harry was sure now that Spider-man was in fact someone he knew. He had suspected that ever since his father's corpse was brought back to his mansion. Spider-man couldn't have done that if he hadn't known where he lived or who his father was.

And now, the obvious impact of what he had said along with the muffled but somewhat familiar voice had told him, he was right. Spider-man's voice had a distinct feel to it that reminded Harry of someone, but he couldn't tell who.

"So aren't you going to come down here and have a little talk like a normal human being instead of the bug you are?"

_"Thanks but no thanks!" the man in red and blue replied, still clinging to the edge._

"Well then, I would have to come to you," Harry added with a superior look that he had been seeing for his whole life, "That is, if you're not afraid of me!"

Spider-man did not answer that question. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

Harry walked up to Spider-man, slowly, weighing each stride.

"Spider-man," he said, "I respect what you've done!"

_"Oh, so you knew something else other than the fact that I killed your father?" _

How Harry hated that mocking tone; it reminded him of his own father at times. Even with him being dead, those bad memories still haunted Harry. But he knew now was not the time to be reminiscing.

*****************************************

Harry stopped five feet short away from him.

_"You killed my father because of a greater cause," Harry paused then continued in a dreadful voice, __"You did not tell me who he was, that I thank you!"_

Although he had expected this to happen, Peter was still surprised at the news.

"So you know who your father was and why I had to kill him?" he asked.

_"Yes I do," Harry replied confidently._

"Who?" Peter asked reflexively. (_"God I sound like an idiot!")_

_"Don't mock me, Spider-man!" It was good that Harry didn't seem to realize his tone._

Peter didn't know whether to run off now or to wait and see what evil plan he would have to endure. Right then, his spider-sense tingled.

Peter did not notice how Harry's hand went into pocket earlier, and now he would have to pay the price for that.

*****************************************

Harry Osborn, the new CEO of Oscorp Industry, was about to do something that he would never had dreamt about a few months ago. He was going to do what that stupid Daily Bugle would have done if they weren't all incompetent.

In just a few moments, Harry would uncover the Spider mask and see who's behind it. He would not only destroy Spider-man but he would make his whole family suffer for eternity. Harry had never felt more confident, or...cruel before. But he wasn't afraid of who he was becoming. Somehow, he was amused by all this.

Harry had used Spider-man moment of weakness or was it uncertainty to get hold of his secret item and press the button on it.

Just before a spark lighted up in Spider-man's eyes (_"Or maybe I'm just imagining things"), Harry threw the round metal object at Spider-man with all his might._

*****************************************

The last thing Peter remembered doing before he fell unconscious was jumping off the building with a blinding speed that he'd never thought possible even with his spider speed.

The first thing he remembered seeing when he woke up was the caring and worrying faces that belonged to Mary Jane and his aunt May. 

Life could not get any better than this.


End file.
